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ive seen alot of how-to CDs on ebay explaining wheelies just for guys like this. must be high demand for people wanting to learn.

http://www.dirtrodders.com/wheelie.html

Okay, Here's my experience with the wheelie mentality. The more comfortable I got on my bike (bicycle, too) The more likely it was that I would do a wheelie. I grew up on the old Schwinn Stingray. Wheelies where just a natural outgrowth of increased riding skill. On my motorcycle, a slight, momentary lift of the front wheel in traffic indicates maximum acceleration. I suspect I would experience this from time to time on whatever motorcycle I rode (I would only be riding a good sized bike with decent power reserves because of my dimensions and weight). When it happens, I neither like it or dislike it. I just know there's no need to get on it any harder than that. I confine actual wheelies to a deserted parking lot where Chris and I just go fool around on our bikes like a father and son might (should, IMHO). I would never, ever respond to a "Wheelie sign." The most fun I will allow myself in traffic is the aforementioned acceleration, and I usually ride short of this. I use it as a guide to myself that I have become overly aggressive that day and I need to grow up. In short, I don't care if anyone sees my bike do a wheelie. Especially on a modern sportbike like yours, the machine certainly 'Knows" how to do it. The question is (and only you can answer it,) do you really care if unknown spectators really know your individual skill level? I don't.

Lion_Lady wrote:Riding a sportbike (even though mine's a BMW) I regularly get 'do a wheelie' from idiot passer's by. My standard response has become "Are you always a jacka$$ or only on fill in the blankdays?" (Tuesday, Wednesday, etc) Even if I just say it in my helmet.

P

Mine has become very loud, "You do one first!"

I've never clutched one up from a stand still or moving. But I have bounced one up, it seems to be easier to do it that way.

This doesn't help you while you're in town, but it will help you get the front up in the air for a bit of practice. Get moving down a long straight road at about 30-40 with pretty high RPMs, maybe 7-9000. Let off the throttle real quick then open it wide. What this will do is compress your front forks and the force of them decompressing when you open the throttle wide will help your front end up in the air. You'll have to pull up on the handle bars when you open the throttle.

Do that a few times to get used to the feeling of having your front end up in the air.

scanevalexec wrote:[ Wheelies, and espically extended length wheelies starve the engine of oil.

Er, my vtr should have seized long ago . But I agree that learning on a streetbike will hurt you. Get a dirt bike and get good at them before ever attempting one on a street bike.

High_Side wrote:Er, my vtr should have seized long ago .

I'm not an expert either on the subject of starved oil engines, but it is something I've read in a few articles and discussed with a mechanic. He says this happens more than you think and most people don't admit that is what seized their rods, but I guess these guys are aware.

I also have no idea what "long" is, but I imagine a 30 second wheelie isn't what they are talking about. I'm guessing they are talking about riding longer than that on one wheel and many times.

And here is Scan and High-side talking about wheelies again.

scanevalexec wrote:

High_Side wrote:Er, my vtr should have seized long ago .

...
And here is Scan and High-side talking about wheelies again.

Admit it, you have "Wheelie Monsters"

Lion_Lady wrote:
Riding a sportbike (even though mine's a BMW) I regularly get 'do a wheelie' from idiot passer's by. My standard response has become "Are you always a jacka$$ or only on fill in the blankdays?" (Tuesday, Wednesday, etc) Even if I just say it in my helmet.

P


Mine has become very loud, "You do one first!"
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I agree. When they do that hand motion, i give them my own hand motion, ya know the one they call THE BIRD. I know in my head im having fun as it is just speeding and tiping in turns. I know myself enough that if i did a wheelie and fell, i would be so mad at myself and thinking outloud "why did i have to do a wheelie,i was having enough fun as it is before it, why?????"

thanks to everyone for their input, you all have points and i know wheelies are alot harder on the bikes. Next time a guy wants me to do one, ill pull over, and tell himto get on the bike and do one first, chances are, he will "poo poo" his pants lol

Chances are he'll try it, and wreck your bike. I usually get the signal from guys in cars. Don't antagonize them by flipping them off, they weigh a lot more then you do. But signal for them to do one first. Point, wheelie sign. If they do it in the car, the you HAVE to try. There are VERY few stock cars that can do that sort of thing

Well not much can be added to previous posts...learning in the dirt is a plus but learning on a street bike is a TOTALLY different animal. The way it feels the first time on a crotch rocket is way different and I did wheelies all the time in the dirt. It took me a few tries to get comfortable on one. The thing about wheelies is if you do them often enough you will eventually crash. Too much can go wrong on 1 tire...
I must admit there is no better feeling than a nice, smooth, in-control 2nd-4th wheelie but NO worse feeling than things going wrong at those speeds.

I would never suggest a newbie-ish rider attempt to learn on a new bike either...you don't want to mess up your new ride man!